78's through the system

Oh, one other thing, to control motor speed for 33 1/3, 45, and 78, you can pick up a used VPI PLC cheap, and still come in within your budget.

Zaikesman, I own a 1200 too. You can send it to Kevin Barrett of KAB Electroacoustics and have it modified for 78 RPM playback. His website is ( www.kabusa.com ).
The 1200 has dial-in VTA, so you just write down each cartridge's value, release the lock and dial it in. Just that simple.

You do not need to upgrade to a 'better' turntable unless you're willing to spend some serious money (thousands of dollars). Kevin has designed a tonearm fluid damper for the 1200. It is only $149 and it is absolutely outstanding.

My 1200 has Phoenix Gold interconnects, a JA Michell clamp, Sumiko HS-MMT headshell and an Ortofon X5 MC linked to a Monolithic Sound PS-1 phonostage and then to a Melos SHA-1 hybrid linestage. Line conditioner is a Tice A/V Solo. I can tell you the sound is truly high end.

The 1200 is a neutral sounding and very stable deck. Don't be mislead by well intentioned but misinformed/prejudiced persons who think it is a "DJ turntable"...

Estoteric Sound is a 78 rpm specialist and sells their own line of turntables. Suggest you check out their web site

http://www.esotericsound.com/table.htm

Probably not much help, but I decided against adding 78 playback to the main system as it would be too expensive as well as a hassle. Instead I decided to pick up either a vintage or new "all in one player" with a small footprint so that it can be placed on the coffee table when we feel like spinning 78's. 78's are over quickly and I figure that (though not Hi-fi) this is about the only practical way to listen to them (we would not have to get up to change/flip the discs), plus most of our 78's are pretty grooved out anyway.

Restoration Hardware had one of these units for approx. $125.00 around the holidays, though I would prefer a vintage single ended, self contained, tube unit (which I see on Ebay now and then) for not a lot of money.

If I ever did decide to go the route you are considering I would use a separate TT for the 78's, like an old Dual, a Fons or something like that. I do however have an extra head shell for the TT that I will install a mono cartridge in (for the main system) as we have quite a few mono LP's. I will use the same cartridge that I am currently using but order the mono version (this way it should sound decent without having to adjust VTA and such).

Thanks for the input folks. One at a time: Greg, yeah, I'll probably just have RIAA if it's close enough. As far as geometry goes, VTA that's close for 78 and correct for 33 will probably be good enough, but you have a point where overhang is concerned if I got an SME, since their headshells are fixed-hole design, with a sliding tonearm base - that would be a problem. Jim, I play a lot of 45's, and have basically ruled out Rega because of the lack of an eletronic speed change control - I don't want to lift off the platter every time I want to change speeds. Brulee, I only own maybe a couple hundred 78's right now - I can't say I really know how they sound, because I've been playing them on a vintage blonde-wood Columbia all-in-one tabletop record player, which is cool but not exactly high fidelity. Gthrush, I had been trying to avoid multiple 'arms, but it may turn out to be the easiest thing - if I can get a 'table I like that'll take more than one and do 78rpm (does the PLC work with a lot of different manufacturer's motors?). As far as phono stages go, I'm unclear on why you imply I would need one per cartridge, though - couldn't I just swap input leads? Psychicanimal, I'll definitely check out what can be done with the 1200 - I already have the Michell clamp for it, as well as a tonearm wrap and a sorbothane mat, and I realize that it's a well-built machine, but the platter does ring and I'm curious to try good belt-drive with full suspension. The damper sounds interesting though, and if I got the 78 conversion done I could keep it as my second 'table if I get something better for 33. I wonder, did you (or can you?) get the tonearm cable upgraded in addition to the lead-out wires? - doing this is something I've been considering too. Zmrs13, cool tip, I'll take a look at the site. Again, thanks for all the responses!